Letter-box.



PATENTED OGTLZQ. 1907.

W. H. HUSHOUR.

LETTER BOX. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1905,

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

77 27 (aw 51 l9 llzkmzlffzw%urf Z 0, WASHINGTON, n. c,

W. H. HUSHOUR. LETTER BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.13. 1905.

PATENTED OUT, 29. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

k v 3 w UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

NVILLIAM H. HUSHOUR, OF GROSEOLOSE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LLOYD POSEY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

LETTER-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed September 13. 1905- Serial No. 278.354.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. Husnoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Groseclose, in the county of Smyth and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail boxes for the delivery and collection of mail, more particularly for use in connection with the rural free delivery service, and the primary object of the same is to economize in the construction of this class of devices and to avoid, as far as practicable, the use of joints, and also protect the locking means and have the latter so positioned as not to meet with interference as to freedom of operation, by moisture freezing in the same in cold weather, or rusting the parts thereof in warm weather.

The improved mail box also embodies a general organization of parts which will obstruct the entrance of moisture to the interior thereof, and injury to the contents of the same. The protection of the locking means for the box, and the convenience afforded thereby is of material importance to a carrier who is enabled to expeditiously open and close the box without removing gloves or releasing driving devices, particularly in cold weather.

The front of the box fully opens and completely exposes the interior without requiring the carrier to assume inconvenient positions to ascertain the location of the mail within the box. This front can also be opened without in the least interfering with the top covering or roof of the box. The box is also provided with a signal attachment, which is self-locking, informing the carrier that the box contains mail to be collected when in one position, and when in another position, the box is empty or it indicates to the owner of the box that mail has been placed therein by the carrier.

Other details of construction and advantages accruing therefrom, will be more fully hereinafter specified.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box shown open. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through the center of the box when in a closed condition. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the box. Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

Similar numerals of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The body of the box includes a back 1, ends 2, and a top or cover 3, constructed from a single piece of material and bent into the shape shown, the top or cover 3 being inclined to effectively cause the water to flow therefrom in moist or rainy weather. ,A portion of the end edges of the top or cover 3, are bent downwardly and secured over the upper extremities of the ends 2,

l as at 4. By thus forming the body of the box in the main of a single piece of material, the number of joints is materially reduced and economy in the cost of manufacture as well as effectiveness in preventing the entrance of moisture in the box results. The lower portions of the ends 2, at the front are bent inwardly towards each other as at 5, and secured by suitable means to a lower front strip 6, preferably having an upper rolled or beaded edge 7. The bottom 8 is elevated above the lower edges of the back 1, ends 2, and front strip 6, and is formed with depending side and end flanges 9 and 10 respectively, riveted pr otherwise fastened to the back, ends and front strip. The object of raising the bottom 8, as just set forth, is to elevate the contents or mail within the-box as far as practicable, above the supporting means for the latter, to obstruct injury to such mail matterby moisture that might enter 7 0 through the joints between the bottom and the remaining parts of the box, if said bottom was at a low level, and also to position the mail matter within the box so that it may be readily seen by the carrier or owner. The top or cover 3 is formed with a front extension 11 which provides a guard over the portions of the box therebelow, such extension being of a width as to obstruct the entrance of rain or snow into the box and also to serve as a shield means in a manner which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

The box has a drop front 12 with end flanges 13 disposed at an angle and pivotally connected at their lower extremities to the ends 2 below the bottom 8. The flanges 13 snugly embracethe forward portions of the ends 2 and the flanges 4 of the top or cover 3, when the drop front is closed, and when said drop front is open, the interior of the box is rendered readily accessible and is fully exposed. The drop front 12 has a letter slot 14 formed in the upper portion thereof by suitably cutting a partthereof, the metal liberated being struck outwardly to form a guard 15 with respect to said opening. At the center of the upper portion of the drop front, a handle or grip 16 is secured and the upper end thereof is continued forwardly in a plane at right angles to the front to form a rigid hasp member 17, provided with a longitudinal slot 18 and having the side edges inturned or rolled as at 19, to strengthen the same. A shackle 20 is movably connected at its rear end to the top or cover 3 and carries a depending loop or eye 21 freely movable through a slot 22 in the lid or cover and adapted to be inserted through the slot 18 of the hasp member 17, the said loop or eye automatically moving through the slot 18 when the front 12 is closed. The front is reliably locked, by the use of a suitable pad lock which is caused to engage the portion of the loop or eye 21 projecting below the h asp member 17.

The upper portion of one flange 13 of the drop front of a carrier or owner of the box. Furthermore, the box 12 has an outwardly extending stud or projection 23 for locking a signal device in lowered position. I The signal device consists of a shank 24, pivotally connected to the upper portion of the adjacent end of the box and having at its opposite end, a target or other suitable head 25, which is colored to attract attention and is adapted to be either lowered in practically horizontal position or raised to vertical position to indicate the presence or absence of mail matter in the box, either to the carrier or to the owner of the box. The shank 24 is formed with a slot 26 having an inclined throat 27 which provides a guard finger 28. The slot 26 is disposed diagonally with respect to the shank 24 to compensate for the arcuate movement of said shank when the latter is placed in engaging position with or disengaged from the stud or projection 23. When the signal device is down, and the front is open, .a closure of the front will cause the stud or projection 23 to ride into the slot 26 through the throat 27 thereof, until the finger 28 is under the stud or projection, and when the finger is in this position, the front will be fully closed and the signal device cannot be raised until the front is again opened. This is'a very simple manner of locking the signal device in lowered position, and avoids the complex constructions ordinarily employed for arriving at the same result. The signal device when raised to ver tical position is released from the stud or projection 23 by moving the front of the box outwardly and simultaneously gradually elevating the said signal device to permit the stud or projection to pass out of the slot 26, and after the stud has moved through the throat 27 the shank 24 is free for pivotal movement to project the target 25 above the top of the box. Subsequent to the elevation of the signal device just explained, the front may be closed and locked. It will be understood,

, however, that when the slot 26 of the shank 24 is engaged by the stud or projection 23 on the one side flange of the front, as shown by Fig. 4, and the stud front is locked in fixed position, it will be impossible to raise or elevate the signal device except by an authorized person having a key or means for releasing the front.

1t is proposed to mount the box on a base attach ed to a suitable post and also to vary the dimensions and proportions of the several parts of the box, if desired. Metal of a non-corrosive nature will be preferably used in the construction of the parts, as in other boxes used for rural delivery service, and the name of the owner will be suitably inscribed thereon.

Another convenient attachment for the box consists of a stamp and money drawer 29 which is disposed in a suitable support 30 at the upper right hand corner and thus leaving the lower part of the box free and unobstructed. This drawer may be easily drawn outwardly or reinserted in position and is of such dimension as to have sufficient capacity to hold a number of stamps or money for stamps or postage.

The box constructed as set forth, is both weather and water proof, and the parts may be expeditiously assembled and placed on the market, at a materially reduced rate as compared with other more complex structures, All the elements have been devised with the main object of convenience in manipulating the several parts of the box or opening the drop front and closing the latter Without requiring delay on the part is strong and durable, and can be easily set up in operative position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a top or cover with a forwardly projecting guard, a drop front carrying a hasp member, and a shackle movably mounted on the top or cover and provided with means to extend through the guard and engage the hasp member.

2, In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a top or cover, a gravitating shackle member movably held on the cover and provided with engaging means movable through the cover, and a movably attached front having a hasp member with an opening therein to receive the engaging means of the said shackle.

3.In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a rigid top or cover, a gravitating shackle carried by the cover and having engaging means freely movable through the latter, and a front movably attached to the body and provided with a hasp member to automatically coiiperate with the shackle and its engaging means.

4. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a top or cover, a gravitating shackle member disposed on the top or cover, and a movable front carrying a hasp member, a part of the shackle member automatically engaging the hasp member when the front is closed.

5. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body'having a top or cover, a shackle movably supported by the cover, and a front movably attached to the body and having a grip with an upper angular extension forming a hasp member to engage a portion of the shackle.

6, In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a top or cover with a slot through the forward portion thereof, a shackle member gravitatingly held on the top or cover and provided with an eye movable through the said slot, and a front movably attached to the body and having an upper hasp member with a slot therein to receive the said eye.

7. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body fully closed at the back, ends and bottom and open at the front side, a fixed top on the body, a front closing member movably attached to the lower portion of the body and having flanges to embrace the ends of the body, one of the flanges being provided with a projection, and a signal device having a shank pivotally secured to one end portion of the body and provided with a throat opening through one edge, the throat of the slot being disposed diagonally with respect to the shank, the signal device being locked down in horizontal position when the front member is closed and released when the said member is opened.

8. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body comprising a back, opposite ends, and a top or cover formed from a single piece of material bent at different angles without joints or seams,'the top or cover being upwardly inclined regularly from the rear towards the front of the box and of greater width than the transverse extent of the latter and projected over the front of the box to form a guard, the guard having the same upward inclination as the top or cover, a bottom secured in the body and elevated above the lower edges of the back and ends, and a front closing member adapted to expose the entire front of the body and movably attached at its lower edge to the lower portion of the body front, the opposite free edge of the front closing member snugly fitting under the guard when shut, and the upward inclination of the guard permitting said member to be freely opened and closed.

9. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body comprising a back, ends, and a top or cover formed from a single piece of material bent at dilferent angles without joints or seams, the top or cover being upwardly inclined regularly from the rear towards the front of the box and of greater width than the transverse extent of the latter and projected over the front of the box to form a guard, the guard being continued in the same upward inciined plane as the remaining portion of the top or cover, the front portion of the body of the box being normally open from the guard downward to the lower portion therelower edges of the back and ends, a drop front movably attached at its lower edge to the lower portion of the body and having terminal flanges extending throughout the length of the ends thereof to embrace adjacent portions of the ends of the body, the free edge of the drop front fitting snugly under and close to the guard when said front is shut, and the guard, by its upward inclination, permitting free opening and closing movements of the said front, and locking means carried in part by the guard and the free edge of the drop front.

-10. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having a back, ends, and a top or cover formed from a single piece of material and bent at din'erent angles to provide the said respective parts of the body, the top or cover being inclined upwardly towards the front of the box and extended to form a guard to shield the interior of the box when the latter is opened, a bottom secured within the body and located in a plane above the lower edges of the ends and back, a fixed strip extending across the lower portion of the open front of the body, and a front closing member movably attached to the lower portion of the body.

11. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body having the back, ends and top or cover formed of one piece, and the front portion open, a fixed strip extending across the lower portion of the open front of the body, a bottom elevated and secured Within the body and having depending side and end flanges for holding the same in attached position, and a front closing member movably attached to the lower portion of the body and movable over the said strip.

12. In a box of the class set forth, the combination of a body open at the front and having a drop closing member for said front, a bottom secured within the body, and a re movable drawer located in one of the upper corners of the body close to the top of the latter, the portion of the body below the drawer or from the bottom upward being clear and unobstructed for the reception of mail matter, the drop front being provided with an opening for the introduction of mail matter into the box when said front is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. HUSHOUR.

Witnesses Tnos. C. MILLER, .I. T, GRAHAM. 

